TRIANDRIA DIGYNIA. [^CL. III. 



leaves nearly smooth ; root somewhat creeping. Straws about 



two feet high. Perennial : flowers in July : grows in open fields 

 and heaths in England : rare. Eng. Bot. vol. xi. pi. 730, Bromus 

 pinnatus. Eng. FL vol. i. p. 150. ' 184. 



37. BKO'MUS. BROME-GRASS. 



Calyx of two unequal, egg-shaped or lance- shaped, acute, 

 compressed, awnless chaff- scales, containing an egg-shaped or 

 oblong, compressed, imbricated spikelet, of numerous, two- 

 rowed, awned, perfect flowers. Corolla of two unequal husks, 

 the outer elliptical, ribbed, longer than the calyx, cleft at the 

 top, awned on the back just below the summit, with a tapering 

 awn, generally as long as the husk ; inner husk nearly as long 

 as the outer, but much narrower, two-ribbed, with membranous 

 inflected margins, and a fringe on the ribs. Nectary a deeply 

 divided scale, or two distinct undivided ones. Filaments hair- 

 like, shorter than the corolla ; anthers short, pendulous, notched 

 at both ends. Germen egg-shaped. Styles distant, lateral 

 stigmas densely feathered. Seed oblong, depressed, downy at 

 the summit, united to the inner husk. Name from broma, 

 food. 53. 



1. B. secalinm. Smooth Rye Brome-grass. Panicle spreading, 

 little branched ; spikelets egg-shaped ; of about ten, distinct, 

 sub-cylindrical smooth flowers ; awns waved, shorter than the 



husks; leaves slightly hairy. Straws from two to three feet 



high : lower branches of the panicle whorled and slightly subdi- 

 vided, upper simple. Annual : flowers in July and August : 

 grows in corn fields : not common. Eng. Bot. vol. xvii. pi. 1171. 

 Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 152. 185. 



2. B. velutinus. Downy Rye Brome-grass. Panicle spreading, 

 little branched ; spikelets oblong, of from ten to fifteen crowded, 

 elliptical, downy flowers ; awns as long as the husks ; leaves 

 slightly hairy. Straws about two feet high: panicle with al- 

 most entirely simple branches. Annual : flowers in July : grows 

 in corn-fields : rare. Found near Edinburgh by Sir J. E. Smith. 

 Eng. Bot. vol. xxvii. pi. 1884. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 152. 186. 



3. B. mollis. Soft Brome-grass. Panicle erect, close, compound ; 

 spikelets egg-shaped, slightly compressed, downy ; flowers imbri- 

 cated, depressed, ribbed ; awns as long as the husks ; leaves and 

 sheaths very soft and downy. From;one to two feet high : spike- 

 lets of from five to ten flowers. Biennial: flowers in June and 

 July : grows in fields, pastures, and by way-sides, abundant. A 

 coarse grass, little relished by cattle. Eng. Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1078. 

 Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 153. 187. 



4. B. racemosus. Smooth Brome-grass. Panicle nearly erect, 

 spreading, slightly branched ; spikelets between egg-shaped and 

 oblong, smooth : flowers imbricated, depressed, ribbed ; awns as 



long as the husks ; leaves somewhat downy. From one to two 



feet high : spikelets of from five to ten flowers. Biennial : flowers 

 in June : grows in meadows and pastures. Probably a variety of 

 the preceding. Eng. Bot. vol. xv. pi. 1054. Eng. Fl. vol. i. p. 154. 



188. 



5. B. squarrosus. Corn Brome-grass. Panicle drooping, scarcely 

 branched ; spikelets between egg-shaped and oblong ; flowers im- 

 bricated, depressed, ribbed ; awns spreading ; leaves downy. 



